§ Sir J. Lambasked the Minister of Education under what authority schemes are being pepared by some excepted districts providing in general terms for the delegation of all the functions of the local education authority in respect of primary and secondary education, with the exception of the power to raise a rate and to borrow money.
§ Mr. ButlerSchemes of divisional administration made by the councils of excepted districts will be considered by me on their individual merits and will come into operation when I have made an Order approving them. While it is to be expected that these schemes will provide for real and effective delegation of functions, their provisions must not be such as to deprive the local education authority of their general responsibilities for securing the efficient education of the population of their area. This principle is inherent in the provisions of Section 7 of the Education Act, 1944, and is a natural corollary to paragraph 8 of Part III of the First Schedule. In so far, therefore, as any scheme of divisional administration made by the council of an excepted district failed to take account of this principle, I should not be able to approve it without modifications.